Auto top luggage carrier



G. D. GoDwlN AUTO TOP LUGGAGE CARRIER Filed July s, 1.946 2sneets-srieet 1 May 4, 1948.

May 4, 1948 G. D. GoDwlN .AUTO TOP LUGGAGE CARRIER Filed July 8., 1946 2Sheet's-Sheet 2 .Zn/venia?" ,f vif' Patented May 4, 1948 UNITED STATESAUTO TOP LUGGAGE .CARRIER Gerald I).Y Godwin", Minneapolis, Minn.

Application July `8, 1946, Serial No. 681,877

A9 Claims. (Cl. 224-29) This .invention relates to auto top luggagecarriers.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide a novel. andimproved auto top luggage carrier lwhich can be easily mounted on thetop of an automobile, can be vcollapsed to lie quite closely adjacentthe top of a car, or can be eX- tended topermit Ystowage -of a largequantity Aof luggage Within rthe same.

Another object of lthe invention is to provide such a luggage carrierwhich can be easily attachedlto or removed. from an automobile top andwhich, when removed, can be folded up in a smallcompass so that-"it canbe sto-wedaway in a small spacer Aiurther object is to provide such anauto top luggage carrier including side and end walls and a covermade-of'exible material,` such as canvas, anda base-to which the sideand end Walls-may be attached, frame members carried by the upperdrawings wherein like reference characters 4refer to the same or similarparts throughout `the various Niews and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view partly `in side elevation and partly` 4in vertical llongitudinal 4section' showing the fluggage carrier in extended position`mourned on aan automobile top.`

Fig;.2 :is afview partly in front elevation and pantlyinvtransversesection showing the luggage carrier in similar condition.

Fig; :3 is a `plan View of the luggage carrier with the cover open andcertain parts being broken away; thewautomobile top being Ashown indotted lines;

Fig.` -4 is alongitudinal sectionthrough the luggagecarrier removed fromthe automobile top and -o-lded up in collapsed condition; and

Eig;5 is ardetail in an enlarged scale taken on the line 5-5of 3 asindicated by the arrows.

In. accordance with the invention. there is provided a base designatedas an entirety by the letter A, This base includes a central bar iiconnected by hinges 'l atits opposite edges to two main base framesformed of angle iron. The outer anges of the angle iron forming the mainbase frames,` 8 extend vertically and thesel outer flanges haveinwardlyextending anges at their tially a single horizontal plane asA isindicated-'in Figs. land 2, vor-thefbase can be folded up to take thenarrow U iormshoW-n in Fig. 4.

To support the base :A -onan automobile top B and to permit levelingofthe base irrespectiveof the contour oi theautom-obile top B, there arepreferably provided a pair of central sucker .cup

equipped jacks C and four end sucker cup equipped jacks D. The `jacks Dinclude screwthreaded sockets il carried by the sides of the', main baseframes 't at thel exterior tlfiereot'aszl-` jacent the ends oftheseframesw and screws 121 work throughthese socketsfand carry at theirlower `ends sucker cups` i3 made preferably `of` rubber and adapted toengage the top B ofthe automobile without marking the same and in suchmanner that ,they will hold their position `on this top. Theupper'endslof the `screws I2 arepreferably equipped with handle leversHl, which are slidablyreceive'd yincross openings at the upper ends'ofthe screws t2 whereby the jacks can be manipulated to raise or lowerthe level oi the main frames 3 to alignthese main frames prop--er-l'ysubstantiallythel same plane as fthe centr-al bar t. Similarly thetwo central jacks() rinclu-de screw-threadedV sockets l5, which` areattached to thel ends of the bar iiand handleequipped screws l'l arereceived in these sockets Vl5 andthe screwsl I'l' carry-at theirlower-end sucker cups i3 which engage the topsurface of the car.

To vprevent side movement of the baseon the carrier when mounted on acar, buckle equipped adjustable straps I9 are attached to the sides ofthe main irames't and these straps 4carry at their outer portionshooksvZo, which are adapted to catch beneath the'drain troughs l2!customarily found on the top B of an automobile. Atrthe points where thestraps t9 engage lwith 4the 'main base frames i3, the horizontal`flanges of the vmain base frames are slotted to receive the straps i9.

Secured to the outer edges of the panels4 @lareV carrier iside and Vendwalls 22 and 23 respectively, these Awalls being made of 'heavy flexiblematerial,

such as canvas, and the ends ofthe end walls being joined to theneighboring ends of side walls so as 'to .form a continuous structure.Theupper edges olthe side walls 22fare-1moreolosely spaced than thelower edges and the upper edges of the end walls are similarly moreclosely spaced than their lower edges, whereby, when the side and endwalls are extended from the base A in the manner shown in Figs. l, 2,and 3, opposite walls will iiare upwardly as is indicated. A continuoushem 24 is formed around the upper edge of the wall structure produced bythe side and end walls 22 and 23, and iitting Within this hem are twoU-shaped upper frame members 25. These frame members 25 respectivelyextend across the ends of the wall structure and along the sides oi thewall structure but they terminate at their ends short of each other andabout even with the inner cross pieces of the main base frames 8. Thereare both inner and outer brackets 26 pivotally mounted on the upperframe members 25, and each pair of adjacent inner and outer brackets 25at the sides of the carrier carry bails 21, which run through slots 25ain the hem 24 and have central portions which are adapted to engagebeneath spring snaps 23 carried by the panels 9. When the bails 21 arethus engaged with the snaps 2E, the bails will be disposed insubstantially vertical planes to tightly stretch the side and end walls22 andY 23, thereby holding and retaining the upper `portion of thecarrier in raised extended position from the base A. By disengaging thebails 21 from the spring snaps 28 and swinging the bails as from thefull line position shown in Fig. 2 to the dotted line position thereshown, the upper part of the carrier can be collapsed downwardly againstthe base A so thatthe carrier may be held in collapsed condition.

To brace the inner end portions of the upper framesv 25 when the carrieris in extended position, a pair of Vcross chains 29 are provided, andthese cross chains respectively extend between the inner portion of oneof the bails 21 attached to one of the upper frame members 25 at oneside vof the carrier to the inner end of an opposite bail 21 attached tothe other upper frame member 25 at the other side of the carrier. Tosecure the chains 29 to the bails 21 cotter keys 39 are ernployed forconnection with the outermost links of the chains 21 and these keys runthrough holes bored in the bails 21.

A top cover 3|. formed preferably of canvas or other heavvA ilexiblematerial, is stitched for a distance along one side of the carrier tothe outer portion of a side wall 22 just below the hem 2li, the stitchedportion being shown in full lines in Fig. 3. The cover 3l is ofrectangular shape and adjacent other portions of its edges it hassecured thereto a slide fastenery tape 32 carrying the usual teethadapted to engage with the teeth on a cooperating s'lide fastener tape33 secured to a strip 34 of flexible material stitched to the side andend walls 22 and 23 below the hem 24. Of course the strip 34 does notextend across the space where the cover 3| is stitched to one of theside walls 22. The teeth on the slide fastener tapes 32 and 34 areadapted to be interlocked by means of a pair of slide fastener sliders35, which work in the customary manner. Two of these sliders arepreferably provided so that the cover can be disengaged from the sidewalls at any point to permit of ready access to any portion of thecarr1er.

The carrier, as described, can be readily mounted on the top of anautomobile, and the base A may be levelled by means of the jacks C andD, whereupon the carrier may be extended as described and luggage may beeasily stowed in the carrier. When no luggage is being carried, it is 4possible to collapse the carrier against the base A so that it will notoffer as much wind resistance as when extended. The iiaring shape of theside and end walls of the carrier will also reduce the wind resistancewhen the carrier is extended.

There is a strip 36 of flexible material, such as canvas, which isprovided anchored to the inner central edge portions of the panels 9,and this strip runs across the central bar 6 above the same.Accordingly, by disengaging the screws Il] from the main frames 8, thepanels 9 together with the canvas parts and other parts connectedtherewith can be removed from that portion of the base A consisting ofthe main frames 8 and the central barV 6 so that, if desired, lumber, aboat, or other articles can be carried by the remaining sections ofthe'base with ease.

When the carrier is removed from the car top y B, it can be folded up asshown in Fig. 4 and stowed away in small compass.

The carrier can be made of sucha size as' to cover the major portion ofthe top B of the car or to cover just a small portion Vof the topdepending on the quantity of luggage to be held by the carrier. A largequantity of luggage can be carried by the carrier and the weight of thisluggage can be distributed on the automobile top to cause the car to beloaded evenly fore and aft and to ride smoothly irrespective Oftheamount of luggage carried. Thus, even though a large quantity of luggageis carried by the automobile, it will not be necessary to load one endof the car heavier than the other as is the case when all luggage iscarried in the trunk of the car.

The device is particularly useful for hunters and iishermen and fortourists and vacationers who are required to carry a considerablequantity of luggage and who often nd it diiiicult to stow this luggagein the automobile with the facilities changes may be` made in the form,details, ar-V rangements, and proportions of the various parts 'withoutdeparture from the scope of the present .invention which, generallystated, consists in the matter shown and described and set forth in theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An auto top luggage carrierV comprising `a base, means for mountingsaid base on the top of an automobile, a frame having no directconnection with and overlying said base and exten.- sible upwardlytherefrom` flexible interconnecting end and side walls secured to theedges of said base and to said frame, a flexible cover for said frame,and means for holding said frame extended from said base and collapsedagainst said base.

2. An auto top luggage carrier comprising a base having a centralsection and a pair of main sections pivotally connected to said centralsection, means for mounting said'base on the top of Y an automobile, apair of U-shaped frame mem` bers overlying said main base sections,joined iiexible side and end walls secured at bottom and top edgesrespectively to the outer edges of said main base sections and to saidframe members, means for holding said frame members in extended positionabove said base and permitting the collapse of said frame membersdownwardly against the base and a cover attached to the upper edge ofone of said walls and releasablyv engageable with upper edge portions ofother walls to close the top of the carrier.

3. The structure defined in claim 2, said first mentioned meansincluding jacks for leveling th'e base sections.

4. The structure defined in claim 2 and a ilexible strip running acrossthe upper side of said central base section and connected to theadjacent edges of the main base sections.

5. An auto top luggage carrier comprising a base including a centralbar, a pair of rectangular main frames pivotally connected to said barat the outer edges thereof, panels carried by said main frames, U-shapedframe members overlying said panels, joining canvas side and end wallssecured at their bottom edges to said panels and having hems at theirupper edges within which said U-shaped frame members are received, acover flap attached to the upper edge of one of said walls andreleasably engageable with the upper edges of another of said walls, anda flexible strip secured to the edges of said panels adjacent said barand overlying said bar, said panels being detachably securable to saidmain frames whereby the bar and main frames can be disengaged from theremaining parts, bails pivotally connected to said U-shaped framemembers and running through slots in the canvas side walls, and springclips attached to said panels and engageable with said bails whereby theupper portion of the carrier can be held in extended relation from saidmain frames.

6. An auto top luggage carrier comprising a base including a centralbar, a pair of rectangular main frames pivotally connected to said barat the outer edges thereof, panels carried by said main frames, U-shapedframe members overlying said panels, joining canvas side and end wallssecured at their bottom edges to said panels and having hems at theirupper edges within which said U-shaped frame members are received, acover ilap attached to the upper edge of one of said walls andreleasably engageable with the upper edges of another of said walls, anda flexible strip secured to the edges of said panels adjacent said barand overlying said bar, said panels being detachably securable to saidmain frames whereby the bar and main frames can be disengaged from theremaining parts, leveling jacks attached to said main frames and to saidbar, and rubber sucker cups attached to the lower ends of said jacks forengaging the top of a car.

7. An auto top luggage carrier comprising a, base including a centralbar, a pair of rectangular main frames pivotally connected to said barat the outer edges thereof, panels carried by said main frames, U-shapedframe members overlying said panels, joining canvas side and end wallssecured at their bottom edges to said panels and having hems at theirupper edges within which said U-shaped frame members are received, acover ilap attached to the upper edge of one of said walls andreleasably engageable with the upper edges `of another of said walls,and a flexible strip secured to the edges of said panels adjacent saidbar and overlying said bar, said panels being detachably securable tosaid main frames whereby the bar and main frames can be disengaged fromth'e remaining parts, jacks :attached to said main frames for mountingthe carrier on the top of a car and hook'equipped straps attached to thesides of said main frames and engageable with the gutters to the sidesof the top of a car.

8. The structure dened in claim 1, said means comprising bail-likemembers pivotally :connected to said frame, said exible side wallshaving slots therein through which said bail-like members extend, andcatches attached to said base for engaging with said bail-like members.

9. An auto top luggage carrier comprising a base, means for mountingsaid base on the top of an automobile, a pair of U-shaped frame membersoverlying said base, joined flexible side and end walls secured atbottom and top edges respectively to the outer edges of said base and tosaid frame members, means for holding said frame members in extendedposition above said base and permitting the -collapse of said framemembers downwardly against the base and a cover attached to the upperedge of one of said walls and releasably engageable with upper edgeportions of other walls to close the top of the carrier.

GERALD D. GODWIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

